FINALLY this offseason is starting to heat up a little. I’ve been dying to write about baseball, but literally nothing has happened. A few free agents remain unsigned, but the bulk of the “big names” have found a home. Teams, for the most part, have their rosters ready to go into Spring Training.

Obviously this year you are going to have the powerhouse teams, and the bottom-of-the-barrel rebuild teams, but what about the dark horses? The ones that have always found themselves somewhere in the middle, but never leaned one way or the other, and now they have a legitimate chance to contend for a playoff spot.

PADRES

Key Additions: SS Freddy Galvis, 1B Eric Hosmer, 3B Chase Headley

The San Diego Padres have been a joke for a really, really long time. I’ve watched the sport since I was six, and I honestly cannot remember a time they were even close to good. But I think 2018 might be their year to be slightly above average! Adding some depth to their lineup in Hosmer, Galvis, and Headley (his name still sends chills down my spine), in addition to their talented young outfielders (Margot, Renfroe), can actually make them a threat on the offensive side of things. But their rotation lacks any consistency, so don’t expect them to be making a wild card push this season. I’d consider anything over .500 a wildly successful season for the Padres.

This just felt like it needed to be here

ANGELS

Key Additions: SP/OF Shohei Otani, SS/3B Zack Cozart, 2B Ian Kinsler

With the Messiah in center field (others call him Mike Trout), the Angels are always going to contend in some way. But I’m legitimately excited to see them contend in the AL West this year. They are getting a full season out of slugger Justin Upton and added All-Star infielders, in addition to already having defensive wiz Andrelton Simmons and Albert Pujols.

But, of all the teams in this blog, they have the highest chance of failure. With the exception of Otani, they are bringing in old, declining talent, with the hopes they are the players their reputation holds them to. Upton could begin to lose power like Pujols has already done, as could Kinsler. Cozart is no sure thing, especially while playing a new position (3B). And what if Otani isn’t ready? What if he pitches like a 24 year old is supposed to. They could fly high, or they could fall hard. It’ll be very intriguing to see what happens.

CARDINALS

Key Additions: OF Marcell Ozuna, RP Luke Gregorson, RP Dominic Leone

After falling for the good ol’ “Have Derek Jeter become the owner so he can trade that team’s best player to his former team” trick, the Cardinals recovered quickly and added Marcel Ozuna to an already stacked outfield. With Dexter Fowler, Tommy Pham, and now Ozuna, their lineup is scary. They were already on the verge of being a playoff team, but with ace Carlos Martinez a year older, and a few added pieces to the bullpen, this squad could be ready for the postseason once more.

BREWERS

Key Additions: OF Lorenzo Cain, OF Christian Yelich

The theme of a “stacked outfield” continues here, but like the Cardinals, this team wasn’t missing a whole lot. I don’t think they’re championship caliber, but a few midseason moves could direct them towards the promised land. They have some great prospects to dish out at the deadline, and Jake Arrieta still remains unsigned. With the Cubs and the Cardinals both getting better this offseason, be on the look out for the NL Central to be best division in baseball.

GIANTS

Key Additions: 3B Evan Longoria, OF Andrew McCutchen

It’s an even year, so the Giants are automatically a contender. Minus the weirdest trend in sports, the Giants actually made significant moves to be a better team. Longoria and McCutchen are veteran players that still have something to offer, and getting Mad-Bum healthy already gives them a few more wins. I can see them switching between the 2nd and 3rd spot in the NL West throughout the year with the Rockies, and the Diamondbacks falling into mediocrity.

Andrew McCutchen just blasted one off Madison Bumgarner to what I think is Paradise Valley. Buster Posey pushes him out of the box after. pic.twitter.com/wB7rGjA1ef

The Phillies didn’t make a huge splash this offseason, but they are a young team that continues to get older, and this season could finally be the year they breakout as a unit. Fans got a glimpse of what OF Rhys Hoskins can do last season, and as their rising stars continue their gradual pace towards becoming All-Star caliber players, the Phillies have a chance to compete for a wild card spot come October.

According to Bleacher Report , LeBron James claimed he will listen to offers from the Warriors and Spurs this offseason, as well as the Cavs, Lakers, Heat, and Rockets. His decision to include the Warriors is based off his “respect” for their “winning culture”.

Fans yelling at their phones and TV screens when they hear thisFans when it actually happens

Clearly, I don’t think it will ever happen because there’s no shot they would be able to offer him a max deal while keeping Draymond or Klay long-term, but even the thought of LeBron, Curry, and Durant on the same team makes me feel like Owen Wilson.

All respect for the NBA, LeBron, KD, Curry, Kerr, and anyone else involved with this move, would be lost entirely. However long LeBron chooses to play for in his deal will be followed with the worst years of the NBA in the history of the league. Professional basketball would matter so little, that I might actually consider watching the Ball brothers in Lithuania before I watch the NBA.

But don’t you think LeBron would have learned his lesson when he went to Heat and got annihilated for joining a “Big Three”? Or when Durant went to Golden State and had to make a fake Twitter account just to boost his self-esteem? Let’s make this clear:

LEBRON, IF YOU GO TO PLAY WITH THE WARRIORS, FANS WILL HATE YOU AND THAT TEAM.

Your journey to “Catching Jordan” will be over because having a team like that around you is basically like using PEDs (maybe not), and any championships you win basically won’t count in the eyes of those that judge you. Nobody can deny you are the most dominant player of this generation, and your stats alone will force people to argue for you as the greatest player of all-time, but doing this will only hurt your legacy. And at this point in your career…that has to be the last thing that means something to you.

On the bright side, more people will watch baseball, and maybe 2K19 will be a little cheaper.

A few videos have been released of Fultz learning to shoot again, and it is UGLY. With free throws like that, he has potential to be the biggest bust of all-time. He’s still young, and he can still fix it, so I’m not going to be making any assumptions. But, for the time being, I don’t want to let an opportunity for humor slip away. Let’s discuss a few things that Markelle Fultz’s shot is uglier than:

Steve Buscemi

50 Cent Throwing a Baseball

Kyle Kuzma’s Outfit Choices

Jabba the Hutt in his prime

Kevin Durant Trying to Drink a Beer

Dennis Rodman (two pictures were required)

Matt Schaub Pick Six’s

Ed, Edd, and Eddy in Real Life (Viewer Discretion Advised)

Moles (both kinds)

Anyone Who Consciously Hates on Nicolas Cage

Science…it’s stupid and hard

Kim Kardashian singing anything, let alone her own song “Jam (Turn It Up)”

Shaq Shooting Free Throws (didn’t know this was ever possible)

And finally…this

I’m sure I’m missing something, so comment below if you think there is anything Fultz’s shot is uglier than before he figures out how to be good again.

Everybody’s favorite time of the year. NFL playoffs? Nay. Midst of the NBA season? Wrong again? MLB hot stove heating up? Definitely not. Soccer stuff (I’m ignorant to this sport and its wonders)? Could be, wouldn’t know. The time of the year is Hall of Fame elections for the MLB.

Last year’s inductees were somewhat disappointing and lacked the controversy of whether or not Steroid Era players should be inducted. Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez, Jeff Bagwell, and Tim Raines were all elected. Good players in their times, and definitely deserving of the honor, but I think we can all agree they don’t hold the name power of players like “Ken Griffey, Jr” or “Pedro Martinez”.

2018, though, has some powerhouse names. The inductees will be chosen on January 24.

FIRST TIME ON THE BALLOT

Chipper Jones

Andruw Jones

Hideki Matsui

Johan Santana

Omar Vizquel

Chris Carpenter

Johnny Damon

Liván Hernández

Orlando Hudson

Aubrey Huff

Jason Isringhausen

Carlos Lee

Brad Lidge

Kevin Millwood

Jamie Moyer

Scott Rolen

Kerry Wood

Carlos Zambrano

NOTABLE PLAYERS RETURNING TO BALLOT

Fred McGriff

Vladimir Guerrero

Jim Thome

Edgar Martinez

Manny Ramirez

Trevor Hoffman

Mike Mussina

Curt Schilling

Barry Bonds

Roger Clemens

Larry Walker

Jeff Kent

Gary Sheffield

Billy Wagner

Sammy Sosa

Lol…imagine being the people who had to go look through each of these players careers and decipher if they are worthy of baseball immortality. That seems like a bitch, and something you need to get paid to do. Since I actually pay to write on this site, I am going to talk only about the borderline players. I will note the obvious ones (both who will and who will not be apart of the the Hall), as Mr. Walker will be covering the 2018 candidates more in-depth.

Now, there are people on this list that are not going to join the Hall simply because their career was not spectacular enough. They will rise and fall throughout the years, varying on how the committee views their legacy, how their stats shape up with their era, etc. But, there are a great deal of players below that have no-doubt, first-ballot stats, yet are notoriously left out of the Hall of Fame due to the fact that they were involved with steroids.

Steroid Era Inbetweeners: The First Ballot Stats- The Steroid Era is far from a secret. In fact, it is the most discussed topic at this year’s ballot. Players who cheated the game are rising in percentages, inching closer to the 75% of the votes it requires to be inducted. On Wednesday, Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds carried 65% of the vote, only 10% away from conquering their biggest battle.

Clemens, Bonds, Sammy Sosa, and Manny Ramirez are players that I consider to be first-ballot Hall of Famers…based on their stats. You know their names, you know their stats, but when you think of them, you think “cheater” (with the exception of “Manny Being Manny” coming into mind).

Bonds and Clemens are the two players that could be exceptions to the disgrace of the “Steroid Era”, which seems ironic since they are often defined as the faces of the movement. They were at 54% of the vote last year, and have jumped up 10% in the 2018 pre-elections. Now, I do not think they will enter the Hall this year, but their increasing numbers, unfortunately, point to them being inducted in the coming years.

Sosa did too much (steroids, corked bat, etc), and his under 10% of total votes is not appealing. Manny has only been on the ballot for one year, in which he received 24% of votes. His stats alone should get him in, but his proved PED usage keeps him out for the time being.

My problem is, if Bonds and Clemens are approved, you have to reevaluate everyone else who was involved in steroids, right? Are there exceptions, such as Bonds and Clemens, or do you ignore the cheating and treat their stats as everyone else? Where is the line drawn? Should McGwire be reconsidered? Should Sosa start over? There’s a lot of details that need to be evaluated.

Nevertheless, even if Manny does not make it in, his Hall of Fame personality will forever be ingrained into our memories, so he can be thankful for that.

Barry Bonds: YES (eventually)

Roger Clemens: YES (eventually)

Manny Ramirez: NO

Sammy Sosa: ABSOLUTELY NOT

The Rest

Andruw Jones: One of the more iconic names of his generation simply for the fact that he was a central piece of the 90’s Braves teams. While he never won a World Series, nor batted over .300, his power numbers in his prime were impressive. Once leading the league in home runs (51) and RBI (128), he was a force to be reckoned with at one point in his career. Unfortunately, his overall numbers are not enough, and he will left out.

Final Call: OUT

Hideki Matsui: GODZILLA. Everybody loves Hideki, but he just did not play long enough to be considered over others. Clutch hitter, great team player, he just falls short.

Final Call: OUT

Johan Santana: An interesting case here. His numbers during his prime definitely make a solid argument. Two Cy Young awards, five straight seasons with 15+ wins, three-time league leader in ERA. It’s convincing. In his time with Minnesota, you could argue he was the most dominant pitcher in the league. But, when he went to the Mets, he gradually fell apart, and was out of the league by 33 due to multiple injuries. Although he did enough while playing to be considered for the HOF, the end of his career is, unfortunately, how he will be judged.

Final Call: OUT

Chris Carpenter: Similar to Santana, his career was filled with multiple highlight years, but his overall stats were not enough.

Final Call: OUT

Curt Schilling: I have always just kind of assumed Schilling would find his way in, but after multiple years of not getting support, I have to start to doubt it. His numbers speak for himself, and the fact that he was second in Cy Young voting at age 37 speaks volume to how good he was and for how long. But, the more research I do, the more people are opposed to him due to how players, coaches, and the media viewed him during and after his career. One most notably was “Curt Schilling played his way into the Hall of Fame, but talked his way out of it”. With all that being said, and only 45% of the vote in 2017, he increased to 66% (so far) this year. So against all odds, Schilling and the “Bloody Sock” game should find themselves in the Hall soon enough.

FINAL VOTE: IN

Larry Walker: Might just be me, but my fondest memory of Larry Walker is him batting side-by-side Albert Pujols in MVP 2005. He was a beast, even in his later years. Walker’s stats in his prime are more absurd than I could have imagined. He batted .350 or over FOUR times in his career. His MVP year his stat line was .366 BA, 49 HR, and 130 RBI. The only thing holding him back is his power numbers did not exactly keep up that pace. He finished with 383 home runs, but I don’t think there can be a doubt he was one of the best hitters of that generation. Regardless of the arguments that his batting titles were tainted due to rarely playing full seasons, you cannot deny his success on the field. All in on Walker.

FINAL VOTE: IN

Jeff Kent: He has maxed out at 16% of the vote, which I find incredibly low for a second baseman that had so much pop. Regardless, while he was talented for his position, his stats are average for an All-Star caliber player, and below average for somebody who won an MVP.

FINAL VOTE: OUT

Gary Sheffield: 500 HR are cool, but not as cool as it used to be. Plus, his steroid usage drowns out his success. Gary and his forearms will be watching the induction speeches from the stands.

FINAL VOTE: OUT

Billy Wagner: Personally, I am not a fan of relief pitchers being in the HOF unless they were iconic. Simply put, there are a lot of people who can do the same job. It is a measure of consistency, not as much talent. Wagner was great, but when you look at Hoffman and Mariano, the players don’t compare. Wild Bill (not sure if people actually called him that) had 179 less saves than Hoffman, therefore SO LONG.

FINAL VOTE: OUT

Omar Vizquel: Does defense matter? Does anybody care? Apparently. Writers want him to be elected, but his offense was so average can it be ignored? I think people are overthinking it, and doing the classic “trying to be too smart”. Hall of Famers need to pass the eye test, and to me Vizquel doesn’t. He was a fantastic, unique defender, but he was no more than that.

The last two weeks of the Seahawks 2017 season was a rollercoaster of emotions.

From no hope to tons of it, to seeing the Falcons win and Blair Walsh miss another important field goal to ensure the Seahawks’ loss in Week 17 and miss the playoffs. As a long-time Seahawks fan, I’m no stranger to seeing them miss out on the January festivities, but based on their success under Carroll, I really thought they could find a way. Unfortunately, all good things come to an end, and it’s time to move forward.

A good thing for the fans is that the Seahawks organization is clearly not accepting this failure. Yesterday, they fired offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell and offensive line coach/assistant coach Tom Cable. There are also rumors that defensive coordinator Kris Richard and QB coach Carl Smith could be asked to hit the road, too.

I personally would love to keep Richard. I think he has an extremely level head and is a calming presence in what is often a boisterous locker room. The numbers were only bad because the players on the field couldn’t stay healthy. But, he has interviewed for the job in Indianapolis, so if he is ready to move on, then let him walk. Also, former DC Gus Bradley, who left the Seahawks to be the head coach of the Jaguars in 2013, has been rumored to possibly make a comeback to the team (although those rumors were recently smashed). As for Carl Smith, I’m not sure why the Seahawks would let him go as Wilson had a great year and I’m sure Boykin was ready if need be. But he is old and could be moving to a consultant role in the organization.

Coaching is something nearly impossible to predict until rumors break down, so I am not even going to try. But I will play GM and highlight a few moves (albeit somewhat obvious) that the Seahawks should look into:

Resign Jimmy Graham/Luke Willson

Despite what people say about Jimmy Graham not being the player he was with the Saints, you cannot argue against his recent productivity. His 520 yards are disappointing, but his 10 TDs are impressive. Although, I will say his negligence in blocking is sometimes destructive, I am a big fan of bringing him back. As for Willson, he is the perfect #2 TE. He just seems to have a great rapport with Wilson and I feel he is one of the more underrated players in the league. If they cannot resign one, then I would rather see Graham walk and Willson stay.

Draft an NFL-ready offensive lineman

Enough is enough. With only two capable players on the offensive line (Britt and Brown), fans have seen enough of Russell Wilson having to perform a magic act for every first down. Protect him. The Seahawks have drafted linemen in the draft over the years, but they haven’t turned into much. Ifedi and Pocic, still young, aren’t playing at the level they need to. George Fant got hurt, but was he that good anyway? It’s silly to say the Seahawks are ignoring the needs at offensive line, because they are not. But, I think they are relying too much on their “magic eye” that has been used on undrafted players like Doug Baldwin or late-drafted players like Kam or Sherman. Draft a lineman that is ready to go Week 1. If you need to trade up to get him, do it.

Don’t worry about running back

Chris Carson looked fantastic at the beginning of the year until he broke his leg and Mike Davis was effective in most games. In addition, C.J. Prosise should be healthy next year, although who knows if he really will be, and J.D. McKissic was actually great this entire year. So, there are plenty of options in the backfield, there is no need to waste salary space on another Eddie Lacy.

DO NOT TRADE RICHARD SHERMAN

There are already rumors floating around about this, and I absolutely hate it. Yes, he is in a contract year, and yes, he is beginning to age, and yes, he is coming off a very tough injury. But you are not going to find a cornerback that is feared like him, and will produce like him when healthy. His wisdom at the position is unmatched. He is willing to be a Seahawk for life, and I’m sure whatever problems he and Russell Wilson, they can act like men and figure it out. If anything, draft another cornerback like they did last year with Shaquill Griffin, and allow Sherman to mentor him. Only problem with that is, Sherman might feel inclined to walk if he feels to Seahawks are trying to replace him. It’s a unique situation, but trading him is not the best option.

Improve the pass rush

The idea of cutting Cliff Avril is, in my opinion, a good one. He is owed $7.5 million and is getting old (31), and I would love to see Frank Clark and Dion Jordan get more time. Last year’s draft pick Nazair Jones was a pleasant success, but who knows if Malik McDowell will see the field after 1) getting into a very serious car accident and not playing this entire year and 2) being arrested in December. He has all the talent in the world, but there’s a chance his off-field issues can’t be beat.

Address Kam Chancellor injury

His season-ending neck injury is something that could also end his career. This could be tragic for a player with so much talent, but I think the Seahawks need to evaluate their options at this position if Chancellor can never reach full health again.

Kick Blair Walsh to the curb

He wasn’t the worst kicker on Earth, but he was close. I don’t want a kicker on my team that more than half the world assumes he is going to miss. While he was able to be relatively good this year, he missed too many important kicks to be apart of this team next year.

I think it’s also important to note that the Seahawks dealt with a LOT of injuries this year. Prior to the season, a healthy Seattle Seahawks team had 8:1 odds to win the Super Bowl. A complete shift in the direction of the team is NOT necessary. Changes need to be made to keep up with the rising talent in the NFC, specifically the division rival LA Rams, but just because we missed the playoffs, the whole world does not have to end. The key to this offseason is DO NOT PANIC. Evaluate the injuries, and move on from there. A healthy Seahawks team can still 100% contend, and I look forward to any changes they can make to improve an already talented roster.

A few weeks ago, Cleveland Browns WR Josh Gordon revealed to ESPN that he smoked or drank before every single game he played in the NFL…and still led the league in receiving in 2013. However he managed to do that, whether the alcohol/weed cooled his nerves or made him feel like he was on top of the world, it’s an incredible feat.

Today, Stephen Jackson, a former 20 PPG journeyman in the NBA, revealed to Bleacher Report he smoked his entire career.

First things first, let’s not overreact to how good of a career Stephen Jackson had. He was good, probably never achieved over an 84 rating in 2K. He averaged 15.1 PPG for his career and never eclipsed more than 21 PPG. Good, but relax on the “Hell of a career” statement. Save that for the Hall of Famers, please.

Secondly, I think we are about to enter a whole new era of sports. Obviously, the 90s brought us the Steroid Era in baseball, which drizzled it’s way down into other sports over time. It was iconic, to say the least. It’s cheating, and it was entirely wrong, but Barry Bonds hit 73 HR in one season while batting .328…that is inhumane and absolutely incredible to watch. Bonds was hitting home runs with broken bats, and baseball reached a peak it had never known before.

But now, we are in the WEED ERA. Everybody and their brother is going to start revealing they smoked, drank, or did some other crazy shit before going out onto a field and being professional athletes.

Personally, I cannot wait until this happens. We’re gonna see things like Hines Ward smoked a blunt during halftime of Super Bowl XLIII, or Kershaw crushes Four Loko’s before every start. The Steroid Era took away from the accomplishments of athletes who used them, but the Weed Era is going to make your mouth drop at what some athletes accomplish while baked or drunk, further adding to their legacies.

A plethora of athletes are going to come forward, more likely when weed is entirely legal in more states so they avoid getting in trouble. Jackson could come out because he is retired and cannot exactly get in trouble with the league. Gordon came out because it was no secret and already got banned 7,000 times. Remember Michael Phelps? The guy smoked and got caught, but in case you haven’t heard, he was still an unreal athlete. The more people that get associated with this aspect of athletics, the more acceptable it will be, and the more people will continue to come out and say they followed the Josh Gordon Method. Not necessarily a good thing for sports nor the integrity of its players, but I believe it’s a trend that is about to hit this world hard.

Essentially, weed is going to be the backbone of athletics in like six years. Stay tuned.

After what was a 13% chance for the Seahawks to make the playoffs, a locker room that was seemingly falling apart, and a Rams team and entire NFC that looked stronger than ever, playoff hopes, as well as the future, seemed bleak for the Seattle Seahawks.

Week 16, though, was very, very kind to the former Super Bowl Champions. Beating the Cowboys 21-12 took care of their main NFC competitor, the Falcons were defeated by the Saints, and the Lions, who were still mathematically competing, lost and were entirely eliminated. In order for the Seahawks to claim that 6th spot in the NFC, a repeat of Week 16 is much needed.

Seahawks CB Justin Coleman hops into Salvation Army bucket to mock Cowboys RB Zeke Elliot, who did the same thing last season

The Atlanta Falcons (9-6) are taking on the Panthers (11-4) in Atlanta in Week 17. The Carolina Panthers have rebounded from their Super Bowl embarrassment as well as their 6-10 2016 record to become a contender once more. Their recent success gives them a chance to win the division and possibly receive a first-round bye, depending on how other games play out in Week 17. On the other side of the football, the Atlanta Falcons are currently in the 6th spot in the NFC, and with a win, regardless of what happens in Seattle, clinch that spot. But beating the Panthers is no simple task, and the Falcons have been consistently inconsistent this season. Matt Ryan is far from the success level of his 2016 MVP season, and the Falcons already lost a nail-biter to the Panthers earlier this year. So while I predict a a Panthers win in this game, I never feel good about a team that has lost once already to a division rival since more often than not, division rivals find a way to split the season series (unless you are the New England Patriots).

As for Seattle (9-6), their fate is not in their own hands, which is what happens when you lose down the stretch as they have. Their loss to the Falcons earlier this season also desperately hurts them because now Atlanta has the full advantage this week, even if both teams lose. They take on the 7-8 Arizona Cardinals at home, and Bruce Arians has gone on record to call Seattle the Cardinals “home field” and wants to “kick their ass”. I’m not exactly scared of Arians (I mean, would you be scared of a man who wears a plaid fedora?), and the Cardinals aren’t a very good team, but this statement essentially means that the Cardinals aren’t planning on laying down for the Seahawks. They plan to end the season of their notorious NFC West rival.

With all this in place, if the Seahawks win, and the Falcons lose, Seattle is in. From 13% to what feels like a 50/50, Seattle has to feel confident about how their luck has turned. As for the locker room problems, this team believes in each other more than ever. Pete Carroll was able to keep the drama form consuming the team, and Doug Baldwin publicly said that the Seahawks have a tremendous ability to brush off controversy. So whatever happened in that locker room, the leaders stepped up, and the younger guys followed. The Earl Thomas going over to the Cowboys locker room saying “Come get me”, implying he wants the Cowboys to pursue him in free agency in the future, is very unusual, and leaves in the bad taste in the mouth in a lot of players and fans. After a great team win, it’s not the best move to go over to the other team and say “I want to play for you guys instead!”. How do you expect your team to react positively to that? Regardless, team chemistry is at an all-time high a week after it being at an all-time low, and the Seahawks have all the tools to bring a victory home to Seattle. Although, all eyes will be in Atlanta, scoreboard-watching from Minute 1 to Minute 60.

With the NFL moving most of the playoff implication games to 4:25 on Sunday, every NFL fan should be ready for an action-packed weekend, in what is essentially the first week of playoffs.